Windstar: This is the sequel to Where All Roads Lead. In that story, we find that Thor made a poor decision and led to Loki being cursed to never be able to achieve happiness. I would strongly encourage you to read that story before you start on this one as the specific details of the curse are explained in much more detail. I hope you all enjoy this story, it has been completed and so it's just a matter of posting.
Disclaimer: This story is a not for profit work that is written for the express hope of enjoyment of the fan community. All characters are the property of Marvel Corporation and it affiliates.
Chapter One:
The fire of Muspelheim raged around him, and had he been a lesser god – he knew he would die. As it was, Loki did not fear this place. He had cast a very strong protective barrier around him, and he knew just as well that two could play at this game. Every step he took sent ice into the ground beneath him, and froze it for a moment longer than absolutely necessary. He was purposefully keeping the ice alive – and the trail was large enough for any self-respecting fire-giant to trace.
He was not surprised in the slightest when a relatively angry welcome met him at the front gate of Surtr's palace. He didn't care, though. He smiled winningly at the guards that were around the palace walls – and then promptly sent a wave of furious power straight at them.
Giants went flying, the gates crushed under the power of his rage. Loki marched through the castle with no trouble – anyone who attempted to stop him was immediately repelled with power that was unparalleled. He'd been working on this plan longer than any other, and now that it was here before him – he could taste the victory that was at hand.
The doors to Surtr's throne room were smashed open with a twist of his hand, and Loki stood before the master of this realm with his head held high and a leering smile on his face. The King stood, walking down his steps and approaching the much smaller nobleman before him.
"Well, well, well…if it isn't the frost-giant in godly clothing." Surtr smiled at him, smoke billowed from his mouth as his large hands settled on his even wider hips. Loki kept grinning up at him, confidence rolling off of him in waves.
"I have a proposition for you, Surtr. One that I would strongly urge you to consider." The King laughed, fire and smoke dancing around his lips and sliding over his shoulders. The smell of sulfur was thick in the air and it was choking to breathe even one lungful. Loki didn't so much as wince at it.
"You cannot honestly believe you have anything to bargain with, son of Laufey?" Loki didn't so much as flinch at the title, he just dipped his head.
"I do. I will give you what you want most in this world, if you will give me what I want most."
"And what would that be, little prince?" Loki raised his hand, and a silver wisp of magic joined with blue beams of light, all circling his palm and joining together until a swirling mist of color and power was there to behold.
"This is a gateway, one that I control and warp to suit my needs. What I'm offering, Surtr, is Asgard itself. I will bring your army there, and you may lay siege to it – as you've always wanted. You will no longer be held captive in this realm." Surtr grinned toothily.
"And in return?" He asked lightly.
"My happiness, back, without the unfortunate side effect of killing me the moment I achieve it." Surtr's laughter echoed through the entire realm – knocking against granite and fire, and cascading around the burning sands of volcanic ash.
"Over one thousand years have passed without it, why wish it now?"
"Asgard, for what you took from me as a child. That is your offer." Loki stated firmly, refusing to answer the giant or deliberate any further with him. The giant laughed louder this time, before slowly crouching so he was able to look the god in the eye.
"Your offer…is denied." Shock crossed Loki's features, and suddenly from the ground around him – giants sprang up- blocking any hopes for escape. The earth shifted away as the entire hall was filled with them. They burst from the shadows, forming themselves before his eyes and as he reached for his power to blast them all back – Surtr reached for his and sent a raging beam of fire down at the god's startled body. Surtr's gift tore through the Prince's shields and barricades, and the god hit the ground in pain.
"You wish to be trapped here for all time? To never again be able to conquer other realms? I'm giving you your freedom!" Loki hissed as he struggled against the heat. He felt his brow begin to dampen badly, his skin starting to flake – he hated this heat.
"No, boy, I wish to be free. But my freedom will not come from a treacherous snake like you. You, who murdered your own kin in order to keep the charade of your heritage going? You, who betrayed Laufey with the same promise you spin to me? I would never trust you to honor this arrangement. You were cursed to be a miserable wretch for all times and nothing you have to offer will change that. I have not the patience or tolerance for one such as you." Surtr flicked his hand and the very ground beneath Loki burst into flames.
The god bit back a scream, but soon it didn't matter. His mind shifted and fell – loosing its processing as he was scorched from all sides. "You deserve all of this and more frost giant. You dare march into my realm and command me? Die! You arrogant creature!" Surtr was glowering angrily at him, and Loki finally managed to look up passed the flames to meet his eyes.
"You will regret this day." He said softly, but Surtr just laughed.
"I have nothing to regret. You, exiled little creature that you are, have no one to avenge you. Laufey did not deserve the punishment you bestowed upon him, and now…you will die." Fire burst through him, and Loki shouted in pain once more, his skin tore off. His eyes burst from heat, his blood hardened in his vessels and exploded out of their veins.
When his death came, it came with pain and fire and torment. When the fire stopped, all that was left of him was a scorched corpse that was smoking from every orifice. Surtr's laughter coursed through Muspelheim and the sons of Muspel joined in.
Loki was dead, and there was nothing anyone could do about it.
Thor shot up in bed, his breath catching in his throat and vomit following shortly there after. He turned on his side and he started to heave – unable to even get out of the tangle of sheets to save the trouble of a mess later. His heart was fluttering badly in his chest and he was almost certain that it was going to burst from stress.
Tears were in his eyes, but he shook those off quickly. Stumbling, he threw the sheets off of him, kicking wildly as they knotted about his legs. They ripped under the strain of his movements, but he didn't have the patience to care. He pushed himself from his bed, and he stumbled towards the door. Throwing it open, he moved faster than he had in a long while.
It was still early in the morning, and the halls were all but abandoned – save for the dutiful servant that was preparing for the next day's activities. The few he did pass frowned at him slightly, but said nothing. He didn't care if the rumors started spreading about how the Prince of Asgard was rushing about like a mad man in the wee hours of the night dressed only in a nightshirt. His brother's corpse was still visible in his mind's eye and he was desperate to have it be removed.
Anxiously approaching the room where his brother had been residing in since his return to Asgard, Thor pressed the door open without so much as a knock. He reached automatically towards the lantern that was always placed near the doorway. It's low light had been turned down for the evening, but the flame was still lit. Turning the knob on it, it burst into light and the lantern began to glow brightly.
It shed its beams onto the only bed in the room. It was empty, but it usually was. Thor directed the lantern over to the left, where books had been piled in troves around a desk with a wooden chair. Nothing. Panic started to mount in Thor's heart as he turned the lantern to the last part of the room, a large leather chair that Loki had acquired during one of his more legitimate business dealings in the past. It was big enough to seat a giant, and Loki fairly needed to leap to get into it, but often he'd enjoy curling onto the large seat with one of his books and flip through the pages of it in the comfort of his "throne" (as Thor constantly teased him it was).
To his utter delight, there lay his brother. Curled under a sable blanket, and hand lying idly on a book – Loki was sleeping soundly and without complaint. His black hair was tousled from rest, and his features were relaxed. Still disbelieving the sight, the dream having been far too realistic for Thor's tastes, the god of thunder hurried towards the chair, and clambered onto it. The movement immediately made Loki's eyes twitch in his sleep.
His face scrunched with confusion and he shifted – turning slightly and opening his eyes to look up at Thor. Startled by the nearness and brightness of his brother and the lantern, Loki threw himself backwards – a startled shout pulling its way from his mouth. A force of magic threw itself directly into Thor's chest and he went hurtling off of the throne. The lantern went smashing to the ground, and the flame and oil took great joy with the extra space and free limitations they received.
Immediately the fire sprang to life – edging closer and closer towards the books that Loki kept near by. "Oh you great idiot!" Loki shouted as he threw a hand out and allowed his power to settle on the flames. They froze mid stride, frozen literally in place, leaving the books untouched and safe from their damaging presence. Loki slid from the chair and immediately kicked the ice.
It shattered into pieces and scattered across the floor – away from the books, and away from anything damaging. From there, when the fire finally broke through the ice, and it melted into harmless water that didn't seep into anything of importance. Loki glared at the puddles though, and directed his gaze promptly towards his adoptive brother.
"Yes, Thor, what can I do for you?" He hissed in frustration. The god of thunder was staring at him like he had two heads, and Loki was fast growing impatient with his brother's idiocy at this time of night. He opened his mouth to say something else, when Thor threw his arms around him and held him close. Startled to say the least, Loki's first reaction was to throw him off of him, but Thor's hold was too strong and eventually the younger god waited and let him do as he would. "Whatever is the matter with you, you great lummox?" He asked wearily as Thor continued to hold him.
Thor's heart was hammering against his chest, and Loki could feel it beat against his own. It was beating out of control, and the young god wasn't foolish enough to believe that all was well with his brother. Something had worked him up to this state, and whatever it was was clearly of great importance to the older god.
"You died." Thor stated suddenly, pulling away from Loki long enough to look at him. His hands cupped Loki's face, and the god of mischief scowled.
"I'm still alive, and would you stop that? You're acting like a love-sick puppy." Anger crossed Thor's face at that and he shoved Loki away from him.
"Do not mock my affection towards you, you know full well that it is nothing more than brotherly."
"Do not act like a swooning maid then!" Loki snapped back. Thor's fists were clenched at his sides.
"Can you not accept that I was worried for you?"
"You had a bad dream, and you rush into my bedroom acting as a child, and you wish me to show you sympathy? You are over a millennium years old, and you were frightened over a nightmare! Shall I take you to the kitchens for a glass of warm milk then, brother?" Loki hissed, and the anger in Thor's face dissipated. He took a great calming breath, before smiling at Loki.
"Yes, please. Since you asked so nicely." He griped, and Loki rolled his eyes, hint of a smile growing on his face.
"Truly you are impossible, Thor."
"You called me brother before." He pointed out, and Loki sighed heavily, leaning back against the bottom of his great chair.
"Slip of the tongue, 'tis nothing more." There was sadness in the younger god's face, though, and Thor shook his head.
"It is one I would welcome more often. You are quite adamant on not using such affectionate terms, but I do like them."
"The fact you find 'brother' to be affectionate worries me…Thor." A wry smile crossed Loki's lips, and the god of thunder let out a booming laugh, relaxing as they settled into the familiar banter that he was used to.
Loki's barbed tongue was sharp and lethal, but if you found humor in it and parleyed with him – it became a game: a game that Loki enjoyed quite a bit as well. It never made him happy per say, but it enabled him to find amusement for a short and temporary piece of time. It was all that he could achieve.
If you were willing to play the game, then Loki would relax and the wisps of sincerity would come through. Thor could almost time it exactly to the point when his brother would ask:
"And whatever are you dreaming of me for?" The last tendrils of tension left him, and Thor ran a hand through his hair. He had needed this confirmation to make it all better.
"You were in Muspelheim." The smile Loki had been forming disappeared immediately and he scowled.
"You were dreaming of the day you nearly killed me?" Thor shook his head.
"No, you were on your own. You went to challenge Surtr…you offered him Asgard in return for your…happiness."
"What an idea." Loki seemed annoyingly entertained by the prospect and Thor sent him a warning glare. Loki rolled his eyes. "Brother, I just tried that tactic on Laufey, do you really find me foolish enough to do the same on Surtr? The damned creature would never believe me." Thor took a deep breath and smiled in relief.
"Yes, well, that is what led to your death, brother." Loki nodded lightly.
"So…I shall cross that off the list of ways to attempt to gain my happiness back, shall I?" The jest was lost on Thor whose mouth dropped slightly.
"You're looking into it?" He asked dumbly, and Loki rolled his eyes. He turned his back on Thor, and began to pick up the pieces of the lantern that had shattered not too long before.
"Of course I'm looking into it, Thor. Do you honestly think that I want to live without it?"
"You have for centuries."
"And I have suffered for it." Loki returned evenly. "Can you honestly admit that I have been a pleasurable being over the past one thousand years?" Thor smiled gently at him.
"I have never minded your presence brother."
"You've felt guilt over my state of life, it is little wonder why you're inept brain believes that I'm an acceptable friend." Loki said it sharply, but his expression conveyed a different meaning. Thor sighed.
"You are a good person, Loki-"
"I'm a foul person, and you are truly trying far too hard." Standing up from the mess on the floor, Loki began to walk towards a small bin for trash, and he deposited the broken glass and dented metal inside of it. "Come now, brother, you wanted that drink – yes?" It was as clear of a change of topics as Loki wished it to be, and Thor nodded his head.
He understood. For now, the topic was done.